The Brief Newsletter

Methods of suicide vary significantly from region to region, and pesticide poisoning is most common in rural regions where the chemicals are readily available. In the United States, easy access to guns helps make firearms the most common method.

The report argues that suicide is preventable and calls on communities to fight the stigma that surrounds mental health issues and to take action on the issue.

“Every suicide is a tragedy,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan in the report. “The impact on families, friends and communities is devastating and far-reaching, even long after persons dear to them have taken their own lives.”